A tool I wish someone would make
 

Lying on my back under the dash of my 356 coupe soldering wires. ARGH!!
I wish someone would make a soldering iron with a tip like spring loaded pliers that would hold the wire joint tight between the soldering tip and some non-heat transferring material (Bakelite?). My 140 watt soldering gun works great for 12 ga. wire if I trap the wire between the tip and a stick of wood where I can get some pressure on it, but out in the open air I can't get any pressure on the wire (= poor heat transfer).

You could probably fabricate something pretty easily. Take some duck bill vice grips and glue an insulator of your choice on each side. The bottom would be solid and the top would have a window opening for your iron. Clamp the wires in the device with your splice in the little window and solder them together. Bam!

It would hold your wires together securely and make it easy to get a good hot transfer. I fabricated a similar rig back when I was building a lot of 3 pin mic cables from quality components in the 80s. Once set up I could do them pretty quickly and many are still in use today.

I have one of these which is handy for holding small wires together when soldering.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1665612694.jpg

Picture something like this with spring clamps instead of a solid base.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1665613517.jpg

And...here's a guy who makes a good case against soldering:

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Probably not a solution, but now I know they exist, and I need a pair.

https://smile.amazon.com/KIMISS-Soldering-Multi-Function-Automobile-Maintenance/dp/B09MM7T9BZ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=14VFFD2P94AB5&keywords=soldering+p liers&qid=1665618512&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjgzIiwicXNhIj oiNC4zMCIsInFzcCI6IjQuMTcifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=solderi ng+pli%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-2

Wow, yeah, I've used the cheap parts store crimpers and terminals for years and they suck. I don't see myself doing much crimping in the near future, but if I find myself needing to do some, I'm getting tools like he has at the end of the video and good terminals.

How about Lucas bullet connectors (I know, I know, Lucas is the Prince of Darkness..) but these things have their place. Crimp on male/female connectors. And it makes removal easy. Just a thought, no help on the soldering clamp.

I know you are not meant to solder. But I do. I've never had one come apart accidently. Then I put heat shrink over the join.

I just recently bought the crimpers he showed at the end with the connections. They work well.

I’ve also tried the connectors with the built-in solder and heat shrink. They seem to be hit or miss for the solder to melt.

Somehow I posted twice. Still nothing constructive to ad.

How about no solder or crimp connectors? Developed for motorcycle use. https://www.posi-products.com/posilock.html

https://www.posi-products.com/images/posilock.jpg


http://www.motorcycle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/010416-How-to-splice-wires-7608.jpg

I've used a lot of the posi-locks. So far they work great and can be taken apart without cutting wires.

I think John Muir mentions the twin roach clips with magnifying glass for solar powered lighting in his VW Guide book :D :D


I know ignition switch and turn signal switch on my 356C use bullet connectors but I don't think dash lights, etc. are set up with them.

If these are good enough for the defense department contractors....where I used these 35 years ago.....
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I bought two tubs of those and found the same as you, hard to melt the low melting point solder.

However, I now use a mini butane torch and the heat shrink can withstand a good deal of direct flame without disintegrating. I still don't like the connectors very much, tho.

Frankly, I think wdfifteen could benefit from using this torch in the under the dash scenario for conventional soldering. It does not work when pointed downward but upward it's awesome. Tiny but mighty flame.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/turbo-blue-torch-blue-torch-stick-butane-lighter-w-bottle-opener-22226/12055407-p?product_channel=local&store=8740&adtype=pla&prod uct_channel=local&store_code=8740&gclid=EAIaIQobCh MI_a3Gl4Pc-gIVDQCtBh3F4QYpEAQYBCABEgJS1fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Dude, what's with the roach clips?;)

Remember the movie Pineapple Express where they had a joint in the shape of a cross?

I just learned about this cool little jig. Can probably use it in tight spaces.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/protek-rc-carbon-fiber-soldering-jig-ptk-5340/p424738?gclid=Cj0KCQjwy5maBhDdARIsAMxrkw3gX6QfPAnq TO_0RT1rXcC1mgltQ7RTMCVaDZw0kKBuXjxttpCG9fkaAk1uEA Lw_wcB

Did a bunch of soldering wiring repairs on my split window VW bus with a small butane torch without the soldering tip. Just the flame. I wouldn't attempt it with a typical soldering iron.

Good idea!

I don't know if I've actually used this thing. I buy things and put them away somewhere. I get a lot of satisfaction knowing I could use it for something interesting if I wanted to :rolleyes:

I use these ALL THE TIME at work. You can slide the connector down one wire, then mechanically connect the exposed wires, then slide the connector to the junction and go to town. Solder connection, with an inch of heat shrink and melted gel waterproofing on each end!

I buy them by the 100 in various sizes:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BJ7FY8X

I also use this heat gun, it's plenty for them and all of my heat shrink needs. I like it because it's pretty small, and easy to shove up inside a dashboard or something and get the heat where you want it. I now have three of these, one in the garage, one at the telescope workbench and one at work:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G4VMSHW

I also use lots of expandable braid wire covering, and just came across this, which makes it work even better. A hot knife gun, which cuts through it like butter and seals the ends so they don't fray:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XAD2IU

The term is 'Creative Intention'!

Interesting stuff here. I like those soldering pliers and the low temp butt connectors. Most of my work has been putting ends on the wires. I wonder if they make low temp loop and spade connectors.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1665665361.jpg

I use standard crimp connectors from my FLAPS. They are cheap and work well. I cut the plastic "insulator" off and crimp them to the wire, then solder them in. I put two layers of dual wall, adhesive lined heat shrink tubing over it.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1665665361.jpg

I needed an eight foot section of heat shrink tubing to finish off the VW wiring harness I was making, plus about a foot for the Porsche job. Had to buy a 50 foot roll for $30+. Anybody need any 1/2" heat shrink tubing?

I was at a local convenience store buying beer and on the counter was a little butane lighter that was refillable. I suspect it was really for the crack pipe users, as they also had bongs and other drug stuff for sale. The lighter as a small blue point of flame that I saw was perfect for heat shrink tubing. It works great for the connectors with the solder in the middle. It has a very fine point and very accurate heat aiming.

I use bare butt connectors and adhesive shrink tubing on any thing that moves. Boat car etc.

A good crimp connection is best. Believe it or not. Even with a solder connection, there is supposed to be a crimp or physical attachment. The solder is to add stability to an already-physical attachment. When we make amplifiers, we use terminal strips to make connections. The wire is wrapped around a terminal first, making a physical connection, and solder is added to hold that existing physical connection in place. A 'military grade' version of this is where you wrap the wire around the terminal not once, but twice. In connecting two wires without anchoring them to a stationary terminal, I would make a physical connection. Preferably a crimp connection.

This is how we build things like cars and houses and electrical distribution systems. Physical connection is best.

I used to work making car wiring harnesses in a factory. We used to put a dot of solder on various terminals.